As the economy struggles to rebound, it’s inspiring to see the number of organizations, programs and projects dedicated to social and environmental issues continue to multiply. This week alone, Macy’s, Nestlé Pure Life, Kmart and PNC all announced new campaigns or projects:

Macy’s is kicking off a star-studded campaign encouraging consumers to host a dinner party and donate money to Feeding America in lieu of the traditional host gift.

Nestlé Pure Life is encouraging families to adopt new, healthy habits with ongoing efforts within its Pure Life/Best Life campaign.

PNC announced the installation of North America’s largest soil-based living wall on the exterior of its Pittsburgh headquarters, enhancing it's existing efforts to be a world leader in green building.

The economy can be good, bad or downright ugly, but no matter because doing good has staying power. Goodness builds trust, trust fosters reputation and reputation drives sales. What’s more, 78 percent of consumers expect corporate contributions to social and environmental causes to remain the same or grow, indicating it’s more important than ever to be committed to the greater good in order to stay relevant and profitable. Stated simply - perseverance pays.